Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Finance if there is an independent complaints mechanism for persons or companies wishing to make complaints against the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50196/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) is Ireland’s national promotional institution with a mandate to deliver effective financial supports to Irish SMEs. I am advised that complaints may be made through the SBCI’s information and enquiries email address, which is info@sbci.gov.ie.

The SBCI is a Designated Activities Company (DAC) under the Companies Act 2014 and has an independent Board of Directors. Consequently, as Minister for Finance, I have no role in any complaints that may be made regarding the SBCI or any procedure for handling such complaints.

However, I am advised by the SBCI that, in the event of a complaint against it, the SBCI will thoroughly investigate such a complaint to confirm that it has fully complied with all its statutory obligations and other corporate governance requirements.

Safeguards to ensure the SBCI’s compliance with its legal and corporate governance requirements are the oversight provided by Comptroller and Auditor General and the SBCI’s accountability to the Committee of Public Accounts. Additionally, the SBCI is subject to the Revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016 (the Code).

The Comptroller & Auditor General is the SBCI’s statutory auditor and produces a report as part of the SBCI’s Annual Report and Financial Statements. The Chief Executive Officer of the SBCI is liable to appear before the Committee of Public Accounts, pursuant to Section 20of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Act 2014.

I pleased to inform the Deputy that the SBCI is currently preparing both a customer charter and finalising a formal internal complaints procedure. The customer charter will be published on the SBCI website this month.

This customer charter will identify small business borrowers and its bank and non-bank on-lending partners as the SBCI’s primary customers. It will also outline the services the SBCI provides as the provision of long term liquidity to support the provision of lower cost finance products and portfolio guarantees, which facilitate access to finance for small businesses.

In addition to encouraging feedback and providing contact details, the Deputy may rest assured that the customer charter will set high standards against which SBCI’s performance in delivering its mandate and acting as an effective custodian of European and taxpayer funds can be measured.